Xiao Xun could hear the commotion outside. This was Chu Garden, and the room was meant for viewing scenery and listening to rain, so the doors and windows were drafty.

Chu Zhao didn’t send him to the main residence, but instead arranged for him to stay in Chu Garden, using the excuse of having a physician examine him immediately.

“How could this happen?” Tie Ying frowned and said in a low voice. “Is Old Master Chu so stupid?”

How could he fail at such a simple task?

It was supposed to be the young lady falling in the water, so how did it become a maid?

Xiao Xun smiled: “It has nothing to do with Old Master Chu. Both he and I were schemed against.”

Otherwise, how would that maid be wearing the same clothes as Chu Zhao?

He was a very careful person and had confirmed before the rescue, confirmed that Chu Zhao had walked over, confirmed what clothes Chu Zhao was wearing—

The other party had also made sure he would see enough to take the bait.

“Who?” Tie Ying frowned. “Could it be the Crown Prince?”

To do this required borrowing the Third Prince’s name, so was the Crown Prince dissatisfied? This could be a serious matter—

Xiao Xun smiled and rose from the bathtub: “Don’t overthink it. This matter is very simple and not some grand scheme by an important figure. It’s just a young woman—”

A young woman? Tie Ying frowned, taking a cloth to dry Xiao Xun, then helping him with his robe.

This robe had just been delivered, but—

Tie Ying looked at the robe. Why did it appear to be the same as what the Young Master had worn before?

Not the same, the material was of lesser quality, but the style, color, and pattern looked identical at first glance.

Even the size was appropriate.

The clothes delivered couldn’t belong to the servants. Tie Ying had seen Old Master Chu and the young master of the house, and their builds were completely different from the Young Master. Young Master Xiao was much taller and broader.

Was this newly made in a hurry?

“Indeed,” Xiao Xun said, looking down at himself. “Specially made for me.”

Then clearly sent to him, making sure he would understand.

This young woman was formidable.

“This time I was careless,” he said to Tie Ying. “It seems from the moment I arrived, she knew what I was planning to do and prepared accordingly.”

Tie Ying was even more confused and was about to ask when footsteps were heard outside the door, accompanied by a woman’s inquiry.

“Young Master, are you alright?”

It was Chu Zhao’s voice.

Xiao Xun had declined to have the physician come in to examine him, requesting only hot water to bathe and change clothes.

“I’ve sent people to invite a famous physician,” Chu Zhao said loudly outside. “Please rest assured, Young Master.”

Such a loud voice—this wasn’t meant to reassure him or for him to hear, but for those outside to hear. Xiao Xun smiled: “Miss Chu needn’t worry too much. Whether I need a physician after rescuing someone from the water, Miss Chu should know very well. After all, you’ve seen it firsthand.”

He also raised his voice, as if wanting others to hear.

The female voice outside stopped.

Then footsteps softly walked away.

Then voices faintly carried over from a distance: “The Young Master is fine, everyone can relax.” “The Young Master says he’s an excellent swimmer.”

When the girls heard Chu Zhao say this, they all sighed in relief, looking even more excited and curious.

“I never expected the Young Master to come.” “I knew he had entered the capital, but the Young Master never meets people; no one has seen him yet.” “To think he came to Chu Garden.” “Has he been watching for a long time? He must have seen me, right?” “The Young Master is so kind. Even with good swimming skills, many people wouldn’t react so quickly to save someone. He’s truly a hero.”

The girls chattered and laughed.

Hearing this, Chu Zhao smiled and asked: “Qi Leyun, do you think Third Young Master Xie is better, or the Young Master?”

Qi Leyun was startled, then snorted: “Both are good.”

Chu Zhao smiled: “Then in the future, speak more of the Young Master, don’t just remember Third Young Master Xie, otherwise, you’ll neglect a true hero.”

These two young masters would be competing for the realm in the future, but compared to Third Young Master Xie, Xiao Xun only came to everyone’s attention after ascending the throne. No one had considered that apart from the princes, there was a Young Master who could sit on the imperial throne.

Xiao Xun and his father stayed away from the capital and kept a low profile; no one had ever paid attention to them. Presumably, the Crown Prince and the Third Prince didn’t take him seriously either.

If Xiao Xun were to become famous now, constantly being talked about, the Crown Prince, the Third Prince, and that future rebel Third Young Master Xie would surely keep an eye on him—

As Chu Zhao was speaking, the tightly closed door opened. The girls’ voices and the gazes of everyone gathered around immediately flew over, landing on the Young Master who walked out slowly.

Before anyone could speak, Xiao Xun spoke directly.

“I came to see the literary gathering, not intending to disturb everyone,” he said, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. “So, please act as if I’ve never been here.”

This—

Such a short sentence seemed to carry many implications.

Coming to see—on whose orders?

And directly saying he didn’t want to disturb everyone, so pretended he hadn’t come.

Though curious, matters involving the imperial family, especially in the current situation, could easily bring disaster if one weren’t careful.

For a moment, those who wanted to ask dared not ask, those who wanted to speak dared not speak, fearing a careless word would bring trouble. Even the girls who had originally wanted to enthusiastically approach him stopped in their tracks.

Xiao Xun was indeed Xiao Xun, silencing everyone with a single sentence. No one dared to ask half a question, and then he could leisurely leave, leaving countless speculations behind.

These speculations were unfavorable to the Chu family. Chu Zhao wasn’t afraid of that, but she was afraid of what might be favorable to the Chu family.

She couldn’t allow Xiao Xun any excuse to become entangled with the Chu family.

“Young Master,” she stepped forward and said, curtsying. “Although we dare not disturb your affairs, we cannot ignore the life-saving favor you’ve bestowed upon us.”

Having spoken, without waiting for Xiao Xun to respond, she turned her head and called out, “Linglong.”

……

……

Hearing Chu Zhao call for Linglong, everyone looked at this maid. The maid was trembling, pale-faced, having already washed and changed clothes. She stood beside Chu Tang—and A-Le, with A-Le still supporting her.

“The Young Master’s rescue was so timely,” A-Le had praised loudly before. “Sister Linglong is completely unharmed.”

She indeed seemed able to stand and walk. Being just a maid, no one paid much attention.

“How did you fall into the water when you were fine?” some girl asked curiously.

Linglong became even more frightened, looking at Chu Tang, tears involuntarily flowing down: “Young Miss—”

What should she do? What should she say?

Chu Tang’s expression was helpless: “How could you be so careless? I told you there was no hurry, you could have searched slowly.”

Though these words revealed little, everyone seemed to understand—Chu Tang had assigned a task to her maid, and the maid had panicked and fallen into the water accidentally—as for what task Chu Tang had assigned, it was unimportant.

Hearing these words, Linglong became even more anxious and felt more wronged. Of course, she hadn’t slipped and fallen due to her panic; she had been pushed by A-Le.

According to her mistress’s instructions, she had lured A-Le away to prevent trouble, but A-Le had stepped on the hem of her skirt, tearing it—

“I’m truly sorry,” A-Le had said arrogantly while stepping on her skirt.

In her heart, Linglong had slapped this country maid several times, but on her face, she squeezed out a smile: “It’s fine, it’s fine.” She grabbed A-Le. “Just in time, you can accompany me back to change clothes.”

But A-Le untied a skirt from her own body—this country maid was wearing two skirts!

“Recently we’ve become wealthy, and the young miss made many new clothes, giving me one too,” she had boasted. “I can’t wear them all, so I’ll lend this one to you.”

Lend, not give, Linglong had disdained in her heart. Stingy country folk. She certainly knew that Chu Zhao had come into money, all handled by Miss A-Tang—Miss A-Tang was truly generous, giving every bit to Chu Zhao.

Even though Chu Zhao had shared half with her mistress.

But in her opinion, there was no need for this. In the accounts Miss A-Tang made, giving Chu Zhao more would be just that amount more. It was all due to her mistress’s hard work in the first place.

If her mistress became wealthy, she would also make many skirts and would give her some. So, this skirt should rightfully be hers. Linglong hadn’t been polite, smiling and saying “very well,” taking it and putting it on, determined that this skirt would not be returned.

Miss Chu Zhao was about to have bad luck, and naturally, this maid A-Le would too.

But just as she had put on the skirt, before she could raise her head, A-Le had grabbed her and kicked her into the lake.

She had been so frightened that she was dazed, and even now she was still confused. Her earlier fear was from falling into the water, but now it was because the one who should have fallen in wasn’t her—

Young Miss—

But her mistress had been with Chu Zhao all along, and A-Le was watching her fiercely. She had been dragged before everyone’s eyes, with people all around, making it impossible for her to explain to her mistress.

Linglong knelt and cried: “It’s all this slave’s fault.”

Chu Zhao smiled: “Linglong, you shouldn’t kneel to A-Tang.”

After she said this, A-Le reached out and pulled Linglong up.

“You should kneel to the Young Master,” Chu Zhao said.

A-Le then pressed Linglong down onto the ground, pointing her in Xiao Xun’s direction.

Linglong was confused by all the pulling, but she did know that kneeling to the Prince of Zhongshan was appropriate. She prostrated herself on the ground, crying and repeatedly kowtowing in gratitude.

Xiao Xun nodded, his gaze not on this maid but on Chu Zhao: “Just a small effort—”

“Although it was just a small effort for the Young Master, for us, especially for this maid, it’s a life-giving favor,” Chu Zhao said. “We should express our gratitude. Sister A-Tang, prepare a thank-you gift.”

Chu Tang responded from behind: “Of course, I’ll prepare it right away.”

Xiao Xun didn’t refuse: “Since it’s the young lady’s wish, I’ll accept it.”

“And a life-saving favor should be repaid like a flowing spring,” Chu Zhao said.

Xiao Xun almost laughed. This girl knew the saying about repaying a life-saving favor like a flowing spring.

However—

The next moment, Xiao Xun thought of something, but didn’t have a chance to speak as the girl had already spoken first.

“Linglong,” she called, “you don’t need to wait until the next life to repay this favor by becoming grass or carrying a ring in your mouth. Go serve the Young Master now. Your life was saved by the Young Master, so dedicate the rest of your life to him.”

What? Linglong raised her head abruptly, in disbelief.

Xiao Xun shook his head: “That’s not necessary.” Looking at that girl with a slight smile, his dimples deepening, “Your family’s servant, just having her master thank me is enough.”

Chu Zhao curtsied again: “Young Master, don’t be polite. This is our sincerity. If the Young Master doesn’t accept—” She smiled, looking at Xiao Xun. “Is it because one servant’s repayment isn’t enough?”

These words were somewhat—

Discussions arose from the surrounding crowd.